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Off to New York, New York!


On a snowy December morning, we three women set off from Toronto for New York City. After all, we had walked the Camino together (see TTS December 2006), we must be ready for Broadway. We went by train, a 14-hour journey on Via/Amtrak during which we 'dined' on our own sandwiches and snacks accompanied by the occasional cup of tea from the café. At times the train was too hot, at times too cold, the restrooms were in dubious condition, but we liked the relaxing pace, the passing scenes and the price - C$220 each, return in coach class.

As for where we'd sleep, someone suggested www.woogo.com. We investigated and a couple of months before departure booked a one-bedroom apartment on West 73rd Street in an apartment hotel called The Tempo, close to Central Park, the Lincoln Center and just off Broadway. Each of us would pay about US$660 for our five pre-Christmas nights, including a discount of 2˝% if we paid (on check-in) in cash or travellers cheques and not by credit card. A credit card just held the reservation.

When checking prices for January/February later, I found the rates had dropped considerably. Arriving late evening, we were pleased to find a large, bright living room with table and chairs for six, sofa bed, television and phone, tiny kitchen area with microwave, sink and fridge, bedroom with queen bed, and bathroom.
Since each of us wanted her own bed, one travelled with a deluxe inflatable camping mattress and the hotel co-operated when we asked for an extra blanket and duvet. Fresh towels arrived each day, but bedmaking and dishwashing were our tasks. The economical Tempo is not for the pampered.

We got an overview of the city the first morning by taking a sightseeing bus. Walking down to 59th Street we saw various tour buses and opted for Grayline, later wishing we'd shopped around. The open top of a tour bus in December is too frigid, but our windows at street level were oddly screened and visibility was poor.
Memo:
look for those buses we saw later with closed-in top decks.

We'd read about Big Apple Greeters, volunteers who show you their city, and after some e-mail notes we were booked. (www.bigapplegreeter.org, two weeks' notice needed) Barbara Schoenberg, a retired para-legal, met us in the Tempo's modest lobby and escorted us by subway to Greenwich Village and Soho. For about three hours we walked through these neighborhoods with our friendly, knowledgeable guide, exploring small galleries, unusual shops, historic sites and places we'd never have discovered on our own.

In the four days that followed we managed to pack in visits to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (free docent-led tours from under the big clock near the coat check); the Guggenheim with its wonderful curving ramps and a good small café for coffee break; the Frick Gallery, its calm elegance a welcome respite in the crowded city; the famed MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) with good cafeteria-style dining and great Christmas gifts in its shop. We had a free tour of the Lincoln Center, reserved by phone 212 875 5350 and attended Carnegie Hall's Christmas Concert, reserved on line at least a month earlier via www.carnegiehall.org. We shopped at Macy's and at Union Square's open-air craft boutiques and saw Grand Central Station's colourful Christmas sound-and-light display. Yes, the Christmas season in New York City is a feast for the eyes.

As for dining, we were never far from food. We especially liked the Asian Society's Garden Court Cafe at 725 Park Avenue, a few blocks from the Frick, and Luzia's Portuguese food at 429 Amsterdam Avenue, not far from our hotel, while Macy's basement Grill served us well after a tiring day. And for a famous a view over the city, visit the Rainbow Grill on the 65th floor of the Rockefeller Plaza: www.rainbowroom.com

Tips:

The Explorer Pass or the City Pass can lower the price of entry to attractions and even offer a discount at Macy's. See www.explorerpass.com/newyorkcity and www.citypass.com.

Check recent guidebooks for valuable information, e.g. some museums and galleries close Monday, others Tuesday. Read the New York Times the Friday before you leave for the latest entertainment news. Check out Metropasses if you plan to use the buses and subway.

Taxis are easy to find and not unreasonable in cost. To maximize our time, we taxied often. Google: Seth Kugel + New York City - he's a writer who has many articles about NYC on the web. Stay tuned, we going to Chicago next!

Barbara Bagnell
Toronto, ON




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